Honda Prepares for Major Overhaul at Misano: Full Package Upgrade Anticipated, Says Alberto Puig

Honda is preparing for its most significant advancement of the year with a comprehensive upgrade at Misano. Alberto Puig stated, "At Misano, we will introduce our most substantial improvement of the year. This upgrade will encompass not just the engine or aerodynamics, but a complete package transformation."

Following a minor enhancement to the RC213V’s MotoGP engine in Austria, Repsol Honda team manager Alberto Puig has disclosed that the factory's most significant advancement of the year is expected to be unveiled at Misano.

According to Puig, this measure, referred to as a 'complete package change,' is expected to be scheduled for the Official post-race MotoGP test on September 9, rather than during this week's private session at the Italian circuit.

"We have indeed made advancements concerning the throttle connection with the new engine setup. This change has a varying impact on different riders, but the direction appears to be right," Puig explained to Dorna's Simon Crafar in Austria.

“We're scheduled for another test soon to verify our results. Following that, in Misano, we will introduce the most significant upgrade of the year. This update will encompass more than just the engine or aerodynamics; it will be a complete package overhaul.

"We haven't reached our goal yet, but we understand the issues and are working on solving them."

The 'Austria' engines represented the second iteration of the new specifications that were first unveiled in Barcelona.

The 'Barcelona' engines didn't perform as well in a straight line as the regular models, but they were considered an initial move towards improvement: Joan Mir likened it to taking one step back to make greater progress later.

While both Mir and his Repsol Honda teammate Luca Marini used the updated setup in Austria, it seems that Takaaki Nakagami was the first to compete with the modified engines at Silverstone.

At the British Grand Prix, Nakagami was provided with two new engines. He did not receive any additional engines at the Red Bull Ring but confirmed that he was using the same specifications as the Repsol team riders.

Johann Zarco, who is Nakagami's teammate in the LCR team, introduced a new engine in Austria. However, he experienced issues during the race and continued using an older model.

Nakagami, despite being the highest-placed rider on a Japanese motorcycle, finishing in 14th position, downplayed the importance of the recent engine adjustments.

"It's not a huge leap. We can't determine yet if this package is an improvement. In some aspects, the new specification is a bit better, but we're still facing challenges," he commented.

"In my situation, I'm transitioning from the 'Zarco-spec' engine to the latest version. For instance, Marini switched from a different new specification to this latest one. Therefore, he might notice the changes more distinctly."

“However, we tackle minor issues gradually, addressing challenges one step at a time.”

Nakagami stated that he experienced "a good sensation from the bike" while moving up from 22nd position on the starting grid.

"It's unfortunate that the qualifying session didn't go well, but I was aware that over the long run, as long as I avoided errors, my goal was to be the quickest Honda."

Mir had a tough time in the grand prix, ending up in 17th position and trailing the race winner Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) by 40 seconds.

“It was truly a challenge to complete the race. It’s hard to imagine feeling worse than I did,” remarked Mir, who had high hopes for the new engine setup but faced unforeseen issues with it at the Red Bull Ring.

"I don't see any part where I can compete," he mentioned. "When I braked in a straight line, the front wheel kept locking up. My bike was also spinning excessively. It feels like I'm constantly floating without control."

"The tire wear on my vehicle is more significant than that of others, as we tend to spin more and cause the tires to overheat. Additionally, at the start of the race, I had to reduce my speed in the pack because my front tire pressure was extremely high. This prevented me from driving aggressively."

The Spanish racer is now counting on advancements in the forthcoming test sessions and race weekends.

Mir mentioned that their schedule is packed, with a day of testing set for Wednesday in Misano. Following that, they will continue to experiment with various elements at the Aragon Grand Prix. During the Misano race and subsequent testing, they plan to test different engine setups further.

The 2020 world champion from Suzuki supported Puig's remarks by mentioning that the Misano test will feature 'some significant elements'.

"We're planning to experiment with a few significant adjustments to improve grip, which should give us a clearer idea of the direction we need to take for next year."

Honda rider Marini, who has recently shown the most improvement among his teammates by moving up from the lower ranks, did not complete Sunday's grand prix because of a technical issue.

The Italian referred to the Austria spec configuration as a modest improvement rather than a new engine. Reflecting on the Silverstone race, he noted that Taka's performance had improved somewhat, but it still fell short when compared to the other engines, which are more challenging to handle.

On Sunday night, Marini was also anticipating the forthcoming trials at his nearby circuit:

"We had a strong weekend with several positives that should aid in the bike’s development. Now we’re looking forward to a crucial test in Misano, and we’re hoping for favorable weather conditions."

In this week's private testing session, there are expected to be some aerodynamic enhancements. Marini mentioned that these updates would focus on ground effect technology, a method that European bikes have long used to improve their turning and braking performance.

The agenda also includes work on the swingarm, chassis components, and electronics, though these are considered "minor details." While everything is updated, it’s not an entirely new project. Each update brings slight improvements overall.

"If the bike from the beginning of the season were brought here, it might not be to my liking, but it could work well for Zarco. The difference would be minimal. We need to continue pushing hard, but I truly value the hard work that all the engineers are investing in this project."

Marini hinted that an important feature might be introduced during the official Misano test, though it seemed he was referring to a particular improvement rather than the complete set of updates mentioned by Puig.

"There could be something significant. We'll find out once I've given it a shot… So let's hold off until we get to test that aspect."

Marini and Mir have already utilized 7 of their 9 permitted engines for this season. Consequently, the Repsol riders have the flexibility to test one additional engine design upgrade for both their primary and backup bikes.

The LCR racers have greater leeway for upcoming upgrades, with Zarco using 5 engines so far and Nakagami utilizing 6.

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